Hi,
Oh yah, I forgot to mention... give hide glue (any hide glue) a lonnnnngggg time to dry and set. We're talking days. Last SS hide glue up took a week to completely set hard. The other nice thing about hide glue, you can clean it up with water, even after extended drying time, and you have lots of time to fiddle while you're working with it. Set up time is very extended.
Also, maybe you guys could stop with the pissing contest about who's done more, or sold more, or knows more. I don't think that's what this is all about. There are always people who know more than you, and there are also people who know less. So... you can always teach, and always learn... if you're willing.